Dr. Abraham Schwartz received his bachelor degree in Chemistry at Bradley University. He obtained his masters at Case Institute of Technology and doctoral degree at Case Western University, in inorganic chemistry and physical chemistry, respectively. He served in the Air Forces as Captain in the 6570^th Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Wright Patterson AFB.  His post doctoral studies were performed at Cornell University and started his scientific career at the Research Triangle Institute. He served as Project Leader Scientist, Becton Dickinson Research Triangle Park, North Carolina before initiating his entrepreneurial career. As an entrepreneur, Dr. Schwartz founded several companies including Magnetic Activated Particle Sorting Inc. and Flow Cytometry Standards Corporation near the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and Caribbean MicroParticles Corporation in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the Center for Quantitative Cytometry in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1989, he joined the Department of Pharmacology at the School of Medicine, UPR Medical Sciences Campus as an Associate Professor, Ad-Honorem.

Dr. Schwartz is well recognized as a pioneer and expert in fluorescence applications in biomedical fields. His contributions to the flow cytometry field are recognized worldwide and considered a landmark in the area of quantitative cytometry. His publications and patents evidence his expertise in developing novel products and methods requiring expert knowledge in spectrometry, fluorescence probes, cytometry, and equipment standardization. He has led national and international initiatives involving scientists, engineers, and clinicians.

At the BioMed Innovation Laboratory, Dr. Schwartz has been actively involved in the training of undergraduate and graduate students interested in basic and clinical applications of fluorescence-based technologies. Recently, he has focused research efforts on the development of 3-D printing biomedical applications.

Research Interests

• Fluorescence Spectroscopy
• Flow Cytometry
• Immunology (Antibody Binding Capacity)
• Standardization of Fluorescence Measurements
• Biomedical 3D Printing Applications
• Multiplex Microbead-based Assays
• Technology Transfer and Commercialization

Selected Publications (Flow Cytometry)

Gaigalas AK, O Henderson, R Vogt, J Barr, G Marti, J Weaver, A Schwartz. The Development of Fluorescence Intensity Standards. J Res Nat Inst Std Tech 106: 381-389, 2001.

Vogt RF, A Schwartz, GE Marti, WE Whitfield, LO Henderson. Quantitative Flow Cytometry: In: Hematologic Malignancies: Methods and Techniques. Editor: GB Faguet, pp 255-273, Human Press Inc. Totowa, NJ 2001.

Schwartz, A. and E. Fernandez-Repollet. Quantitative Flow Cytometry. In: Clinics in Laboratory Medicine edited by JP McCoy and DF Keren, WB Saunders, Philadelphia, Clin Lab Med 21: 743-762, 2001.

Schwartz A, L Wang, Eearly, A Gaigalas, Y Zhang, G Marti, R Vogt. Quantitating Fluorescence Intensity from Fluorophore: The Definition of MESF Assignment. J Res Nat Inst Std Tech 107: 83-91, 2002.

Wang L, AK Gaigalas, F Abbasi, G Marti, RF Vogt, andA Schwartz. Quantitating Fluorescence Intensity from Fluorophores: Practical Use of MESF Values.  J Res Nat Inst Std Tech 107: 339-353, 2002.

Schwartz A, Gaigalas AK, Wang L, Marti GE, Vogt RF, Fernandez-Repollet E. Formalization of the MESF unit of fluorescence intensity. Cytometry 57B: 1-6, 2004.

Gerena, Y, Nolan J, Wang L, Schwartz A, Fernández-Repollet E. Quantification of EGFP Expression on Molt-4 T Cells Using Calibration Standards. Cytometry.60A: 21-28, 2004.

Arpad Czeh, Abe Schwartz, Frank Mandy, Zsuzsanna Szoke^\,  Balazs Koszegi, Szilvia Feher-Toth, Gyorgy Nagyeri, Pal Jakso, Robert L. Katona, Agnes Kemeny, Gabor Woth and Gyorgy Lustyik. Comparison and evaluation of seven different bench-top flow cytometers with a modified six-plexed mycotoxin kit. Cytometry Part A, 83(12), 1073–1084, 2013

Patents (Related to Flow Cytometry)

Schwartz, A. Microscope Assembly for Magnetic Specimens. US Patent 4,593, 980, 1986.

Schwartz, A., Fluorescence Microscopy Sample Mounting Method and Structure, US Patent 4,689,307, 1987.

Schwartz, A., Fluorescent Calibration Microbeads Simulating Stained Cells, US Patent 4,714,682, 1987.

Schwartz A. Composition and Method for Hidden Identification. US Patent 4,767,205, 1988.

Schwartz, A.,  Calibration Method for Flow Cytometry using Fluorescent Microbeads and the Synthesis Thereof, U.S. Patent 4,767,206, 1988

Schwartz, A., Fluorescent Calibration Microbeads Simulating Stained Cells, U.S. Patent 4,774,189, 1988.

Schwartz, A., Composition, Synthesis, and Use of Simulated Cells, U.S. Patent 4,828,984, 1989.

Schwartz, A. Method of Compensation and Calibrating a Flow Cytometer, and Microbead Standards Kit Therefor. US Patent 4,857,451, 1989.

Schwartz, A., Method of Calibrating a Fluorescent Microscope Using Fluorescent Calibration Microbeads Simulating Stained Cells, US Patent 4,868,126, 1989.

Schwartz, A. Method for Calibrating a Flow Cytometer of Fluorescence Microscope for Quantitating Binding Antibodies on a Selected Sample, and Microbead Calibration Kit Thereof, US Patent 4,918,004, 1990.

Schwartz, A. Microbead Reference Standard and Method of Adjusting a Flow Cytometer to Obtain Reproducible Results Using Said Microbeads, US Patent 5,073,497, 1991.

Schwartz, A. Fluorescent Alignment Microbeads with Broad Excitation and Emission Spectra, US Patent 5,073,498, 1991.

Vogt R and Schwartz A. Method for Corrective Calibration of a Flow Cytometry Using a Mixture of Fluorescent Microbeads and Cells, US Patent 5,084,394, 1992.

Schwartz, A. and E. Fernandez-Repollet, Method of Use of Non-fluorescent Particles to determine Fluorescence Threshold of a Flow Cytometer Relative to the Autofluorescence of Samples, US Patent 5,089,416, 1992.

Schwartz A. Method of Aligning, Compensating, and Calibrating a Flow Cytometer for Analysis Samples, and Microbead Standards Kit Therefor. US Patent 5,093, 234, 1992.

Schwartz, A. Method of Setting Up a Flow Cytometer. US Patent 5,314, 824, 1994.

Schwartz, A. Automated System for Performance Analysis and Fluorescence Quantitation of Samples, US Serial No. 5,380, 663, 1995.

Schwartz A and G Woodward. Composition, Method and Apparatus for Providing a Coded Hidden Identification on a Selected Printable Item by a Coded Printing Composition. US Patent 5,450,190, 1995.

Schwartz A. Flow Cytometry Calibration Method. US Patent 5,837,547, 1998.

Schwartz A., Generation of fluorescent microbead cellular surrogate standards. US Patent 8062894, 2011

Other Activities

• Astro-imaging
• First Person View (FPV) Radio-Control Aircraft
• Tropical Fish Breeding